Dead Poets Society (1989) Movie Script

[Low Murmuring]
Now remember, keep
your shoulders back.
Okay, put your arm
around your brother. That's it.
That's it.
Right, and breathe in.
Okay, one more.
[People Chattering]
Now, just to review,
you're going to follow
along the procession...
until you get
to the headmaster.
At that point,
he will indicate to you...
to light the candles
of the boys.
[Man] All right, boys,
let's settle down.
Banners up!
[Bagpipes]
Ladies and gentlemen,
boys...
the Light of Knowledge.
[Organ]
[Continues]
[Crowd Applauding]
One hundred years ago,
in 1859,
and were asked
the same question...
that now greets you
at the start of each semester.
Gentlemen,
what are the Four Pillars?
Tradition. Honour.
Discipline. Excellence.
In her first year,
Welton Academy graduated
five students.
Last year
we graduated 51.
And more than 75 percent
of those...
went on to the Ivy League.
This-This kind
of accomplishment...
is the result...
of fervent dedication
to the principles taught here.
This is why you parents
have been sending us your sons.
This is why
we are the best...
preparatory school
in the United States.
[Applause Continues]
As you know,
our beloved Mr Portius of the
English Department retired last term.
You will have the opportunity later to
meet his replacement, Mr John Keating,
himself an honours graduate
of this school.
And who, for the past several years,
has been teaching...
at the highly regarded
Chester School in London.
[Applause]
[Man]
Richard, you forgot your bag!
[Boy] Hi, Johnny!
Hey, how you doin'?
[Man] Don't worry.
I got your room assignment.
[Crowd Continues Chattering]
[Continues Honking]
[Chattering Continues]
They haven't moved
the dining area.
Glad you could come by.
- Thrilling ceremony,
as usual, Dr Nolan.
- You've been away too long.
- Hello, Dr Nolan.
- Good to have you back.
- This is our youngest, Todd.
- Mr Anderson.
You have some big shoes to fill.
Your brother was one of our finest.
Thank you.
- Lovely ceremony.
- Thank you. Glad you liked it.
- Gale.
- Tom.
- Good to see you again.
- Hello, Mr Nolan.
- We expect great things
from you this year.
- Thank you, sir.
Well, he won't disappoint us.
Right, Neil?
I'll do my best, sir.
- [Bell Tolling]
- [Father] Hey, come on, son.
- Chin up.
- Okay.
- No tears now.
- Chin up.
- [Crying] I don't want to go here.
- Honey, I love you.
- [Father] I'll walk you over.
- You be a good boy. Do your lessons.
[Tolling Continues]
Hey! I hear
we're gonna be roommates.
- I'm Neil Perry.
- I'm Todd Anderson.
Why'd you leave Balincrest?
My brother went here.
Oh, so you're
that Anderson.
- This is for his sinuses.
- Yes. I see.
Oh, and if he can't swallow,
you give him one of these.
And if he has trouble breathing,
you can give him some of those.
- Did you remember your vaporizer?
- Yes, I put it in my room.
[Boys Laughing, Chattering]
- Hey, how's it going, Neil?
- Hey, Knox.
- [Chattering Continues]
- Neil, study group tonight?
- Yeah, sure.
- Business as usual, huh?
Hey, I heard you got the new kid.
Looks like a stiff!
[Laughing, Stops]
Oops.
Listen, don't mind Cameron.
He was born with his foot in his mouth.
You know what I mean?
Rumour has it...
you did summer school.
Yep. Chemistry. My father
thought I should get ahead.
How was your summer, slick?
- Keen.
- [Laughs]
Meeks. Door. Closed.
Yes, sir.
Gentlemen, what are
the Four Pillars?
[Hushed] Travesty. Horror.
Decadence. Excrement.
- [Meeks Cheering]
- Okay. Study group.
Meeks aced Latin.
I didn't quite flunk English.
- If you want, we got our study group.
- Sure.
Cameron asked me too.
Anyone mind including him?
Hmm, what's his specialty?
Bootlicking?
- Come on, he's your roommate.
- That's not my fault.
- [Boys Chuckling]
- I'm sorry. My name is Stephen Meeks.
Oh!
This is Todd Anderson.
- [Meeks] Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
Charlie Dalton.
Knox Overstreet.
Todd's brother was
Jeffrey Anderson.
- Oh, yeah, sure.
- What do you know?
- Valedictorian. National Merit Scholar.
- Oh, well...
welcome to Hell-ton.
It's every bit as tough as they say
unless you're a genius like Meeks.
He flatters me.
That's why I help him with Latin.
- And English. And trig.
- [Coughing]
- [Knocking]
- It's open.
[Voice Cracking]
Father, I thought you'd gone.
- Mr Perry.
- Keep your seats, fellows.
Neil, I've just spoken
to Mr Nolan.
You're taking too many extracurricular
activities this semester,
and I've decided that
you should drop the school annual.
But I'm the assistant editor
this year.
- Well, I'm sorry, Neil.
- But, Father, I can't.
- It wouldn't be fair.
- Would you excuse us for a moment?
Don't you ever dispute me in public.
Do you understand?
- Father, I wasn't disputing...
- After you've finished medical school...
and you're on your own,
then you can do as you damn well please.
But until then, you do as I tell you.
Is that clear?
Yes, sir.
I'm sorry.
[Clears Throat]
You know how much this means
to your mother, don't you?
Yes, sir.
You know me:
Always taking on too much.
Well, that's my boy.
- You need anything, you let us know.
- Yes, sir.
[Charlie] Why doesn't he
let you do what you want?
Yeah, Neil. Tell him off.
Couldn't get any worse.
Oh, that's rich.
Like you guys tell your parents off?
Mr Future Lawyer
and Mr Future Banker?
Okay, so I don't like it
any more than you do.
Well, just don't tell me
how to talk to my father.
- You guys are the same way.
- All right, all right. Jesus.
- So what are you gonna do then?
- [Neil] What I have to do.
- Drop the annual.
- I wouldn't lose much sleep over it.
It's just a bunch of jerks
trying to impress Nolan.
I don't care. I don't
give a damn about any of it.
- Well, uh... Latin, 8:00 in my room?
- Yes.
- That sounds okay.
- Todd, you're welcome to join us.
- [Knox] Yeah, come along, pal.
- Thanks.
[Bells Chiming]
[Chiming Continues]
[Bell Tolling]
[Birds Squawking]
[Tolling Continues]
[Squawking Continues]
[Chattering]
[Chattering Continues]
[Teacher]
Slow down, boys!
Slow down, you horrible
phalanx of pubescence!
Pick three laboratory experiments
from the project list...
and report on them
every five weeks.
The first 20 questions at the end
of chapter one are due tomorrow.
[Boys Groaning]
- Agricolam.
- [Class Repeating] Agricolam.
- Agricola.
- Agricola.
- Agricolae.
- Agricolae.
- Agricolarum.
- Agricolarum.
- Agricolis.
- Agricolis.
- Agricolas.
- Agricolas.
- Agricolis.
- Agricolis.
- Again, please. Agricola.
- Agricola.
Your study of trigonometry
requires absolute precision.
Anyone failing to turn in
any homework assignment...
will be penalized one point
off their final grade.
Let me urge you now not
to test me on this point.
[Chattering]
[Chattering Continues]
[Knox]
Hey, Spaz. Spaz.
- [Laughing]
- [Cameron] Brain damage!
[Whistling 1812 Overture]
- Shh!
[Continues Whistling]
Well, come on.
[Boys Murmuring]
- Let's go.
- Let's go, guys.
- Let's go.
- [Boys Chattering]
[Whistling]
[Continues Whistling]
- [Murmuring, Chattering]
[Continues]
"O Captain, my Captain."
Who knows
where that comes from?
Anybody?
[Coughing,
Blowing Nose]
Not a clue?
It's from a poem by Walt Whitman
about Mr Abraham Lincoln.
Now in this class you can
either call me Mr Keating...
or, if you're slightly more daring,
"O Captain, my Captain."
[Scattered Snickering]
Now, let me dispel a few rumours
so they don't fester into facts.
Yes, I, too, attended Hell-ton
and survived.
And, no, at that time, I was not
the mental giant you see before you.
I was the intellectual equivalent
of a 98-pound weakling.
I would go to the beach, and people
would kick copies of Byron in my face.
[Chuckling]
Now... Mr Pitts?
That's a rather
unfortunate name.
- Mr Pitts, where are you?
- [Boys Snickering]
Mr Pitts, would you open
your hymnal to page 542.
Read the first stanza
of the poem you find there.
[Spaz Coughs]
"To the Virgins
to Make Much of Time"?
[Keating]
Yes, that's the one.
- Somewhat appropriate, isn't it?
- [Boys Chuckling]
[Pitts]
"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.
"Old Time is still a-flying.
And this same flower that smiles today,
tomorrow will be dying."
Thank you, Mr Pitts.
"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may."
The Latin term for that sentiment
is "Carpe diem."
Now, who knows what that means?
Carpe diem.
That's "Seize the day."
- Very good, Mister...
- Meeks.
Meeks.
Another unusual name.
Seize the day.
"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may."
Why does the writer
use these lines?
- Because he's in a hurry.
- No! Ding!
Thank you
for playing anyway.
Because we are food
for worms, lads.
Because, believe it or not,
each and every one of us in this room...
is one day going to stop breathing,
turn cold and die.
I would like you
to step forward over here...
and peruse some of the faces
from the past.
You've walked past them
many times. I don't think
you've really looked at them.
They're not that different
from you, are they?
Same haircuts.
Full of hormones,
just like you.
Invincible, just like you feel.
The world is their oyster.
They believe they're destined for
great things, just like many of you.
Their eyes are full of hope,
just like you.
Did they wait
until it was too late...
to make from their lives even one iota
of what they were capable?
Because, you see, gentlemen, these
boys are now fertilizing daffodils.
But if you listen
real close...
you can hear them whisper
their legacy to you.
Go on, lean in.
Listen.
Do you hear it?
[Keating Whispering]
Carpe.
Hear it?
[Whispering]
Carpe.
[Continues Whispering]
Carpe diem.
Seize the day, boys.
Make your lives
extraordinary.
[Chattering]
- That was weird.
- But different.
Spooky, if you ask me.
Think he'll test us
on that stuff?
Oh, come on, Cameron.
Don't you get anything?
What? What?
[Charlie Scoffs]
Let's go, boys. Hustle up in here.
That means you, Dalton!
Who's up for a quick
study group tonight, guys?
- [Cameron, Pitts] Me.
- What?
I can't make it, guys. I have to have
dinner at the Danburrys' house tonight.
[Pitts] The Danburrys?
Who are the Danburrys?
[Cameron] Big alums.
How'd you swing that?
Friends of my dad's. They're probably
in their nineties or something.
Ooh!
Anything's better
than Hell-ton hash, Knox.
- [Charlie] I'll second that.
- [Knox] Yeah, we'll see.
- You coming to the study group tonight?
- [Others Chattering]
Uh... no. No, l...
Uh, I've got some history I wanna do.
- Suit yourself.
- [Laughing]
Ready, Overstreet?
Ready to go, sir.
- [Doorbell Ringing]
- [Woman] Chet, can you get that?
- [Chet] I can't, Mom.
- [Girl] I'll get it!
Can I help you?
Hi. Knox Overstreet.
- Uh, Dr Hager.
- [Girl] Hi.
This is the Danburrys',
right?
- Are you here to see Chet?
- Mrs Danburry?
- [Laughing] No.
- Sorry. Thank you. I'm Mrs Danburry.
- You must be Knox.
- Yes.
Back by 9:00?
Please, come on in.
- [Chet] Chris, come on!
- [Chris] Chet, I'm coming.
Knox. How are you?
Joe Danburry.
- Nice to meet you, sir.
- He's the spitting image of his father.
- [Chuckling] How is he? Come on in.
- [Chet] Chris!
- Great. He just did a big case for G.M.
- I know where you're headed.
- [Chris] I'm coming.
- Like father, like son, huh?
[Boy]
Ooh! Psycho!
- Yes!
- To Queen-Six.
- Another game?
- What do you mean?
- Duh!
Just replace these numbers here
with "x, "for "x' 'and "y. "
- Of course.
- Of course. So what's the problem?
[Boy] You think I can get in there?
You've been hogging it all day.
- Wait. No.
- How was dinner?
Huh?
- How was dinner?
- Terrible.
- Awful.
- Why? What happened?
[Sighs]
Tonight, I met
the most beautiful girl...
I have ever seen
in my entire life.
Are you crazy?
What's wrong with that?
She's practically engaged
to Chet Danburry.
- [Groans]
- That guy could eat a football.
- Too bad.
- [Knox] "Too bad"?
It's worse than "too bad,"
Pittsie. It's a tragedy.
A girl this beautiful
in love with such a jerk.
All the good ones go for jerks.
You know that.
Yeah, forget her. Open your trig book
and try and figure out problem five.
I can't just forget her, Cameron.
And I certainly
can't think about trig.
- [Radio Humming]
- We got it!
All right, gentlemen.
Five minutes.
- [Radio Continues Humming]
- Let's go.
- Did you see her naked? [Chuckles]
- Very funny, Dalton.
- [Radio Static]
- That wouldn't be a radio in your lap,
- would it, Mr Pitts?
- No, sir. Science experiment.
Radar.
[Radio Continues Humming]
Gentlemen, open your text
to page 21 of the introduction.
Mr Perry, will you read
the opening paragraph of the preface,
entitled
"Understanding Poetry."
"'Understand Poetry'
by Dr J. Evans Pritchard, Ph.D.
"To fully understand poetry,
we must first be fluent...
"with its metre, rhyme
and figures of speech.
"Then ask two questions.
"One: How artfully has the objective
of the poem been rendered?
"And, two: How important
is that objective?
"Question one rates
the poem's perfection.
"Question two rates
its importance.
"And once these questions
have been answered...
"determining a poem's greatness
becomes a relatively simple matter.
"If the poem's score
for perfection is plotted...
"on the horizontal
of a graph...
"and its importance
is plotted on the vertical,
"then calculating
the total area of the poem...
"yields the measure
of its greatness.
"A sonnet by Byron might
score high on the vertical,
"but only average
on the horizontal.
"A Shakespearean sonnet,
on the other hand,
"would score high both
horizontally and vertically,
"yielding
a massive total area;
"thereby revealing
the poem to be truly great.
"As you proceed through the poetry in
this book, practise this rating method.
"As your ability to evaluate
poems in this manner grows,
so will... so will your enjoyment
and understanding of poetry."
Excrement.
That's what I think
of Mr J. Evans Pritchard.
We're not laying pipe.
We're talking about poetry.
I mean, how can you describe poetry
like American Bandstand?
"I like Byron. I give him a 42.
But I can't dance to it."
Now, I want you
to rip out that page.
Go on.
Rip out the entire page.
You heard me.
Rip it out.
Rip it out!
Go on.
Rip it out.
Thank you, Mr Dalton.
Gentlemen, tell you what.
Don't just tear out that page.
Tear out the entire introduction.
I want it gone, history. Leave nothing.
Rip it out! Rip! Be gone,
J. Evans Pritchard, Ph. D!
Rip! Shred! Tear!
Rip it out! I want to hear nothing
but ripping of Mr Pritchard!
- We'll perforate it, put it on a roll!
- [Boys Chuckling]
It's not the Bible.
You're not gonna go to hell for this.
- [Boys Chuckling]
- [Mumbling]
Go on. Make a clean tear.
I want nothing left of it.
- [Boys Chattering]
- We shouldn't be doing this.
Rip! Rip! Rip!
[Keating]
Rip it out! Rip!
[Boys Chattering,
Pages Ripping]
[Boys Laughing]
Rip it! Yeah! Rip it out!
[Muffled Chattering, Laughing]
- [Boy] Rip it!
- What the hell is going on here?
- I don't hear enough rips.
- Mr Keating.
Mr McAllister.
I'm sorry, l...
I didn't know you were here.
- I am.
- Ah. So you are.
Excuse me.
[Keating]
Keep ripping, gentlemen.
This is a battle, a war.
And the casualties could be
your hearts and souls.
Thank you, Mr Dalton.
Armies of academics
going forward measuring poetry.
No! We will not
have that here.
No more
of MrJ. Evans Pritchard.
Now, my class, you will learn
to think for yourselves again.
You will learn
to savour words and language.
No matter what
anybody tells you,
words and ideas
can change the world.
I see that look
in Mr Pitts' eye...
like 19th century literature
has nothing to do...
with going to business school
or medical school.
Right? Maybe.
Mr Hopkins, you may agree
with him, thinking,
"Yes, we should simply study
our Mr Pritchard...
"and learn our rhyme and metre
and go quietly about the business...
of achieving other ambitions."
I have a little secret for you.
Huddle up.
Huddle up!
We don't read and write
poetry because it's cute.
We read and write poetry because
we are members of the human race.
And the human race
is filled with passion.
Medicine, law,
business, engineering:
These are noble pursuits
and necessary to sustain life.
But poetry,
beauty, romance, love...
these are what
we stay alive for.
To quote from Whitman:
"O me, O life of the questions
of these recurring.
"Of the endless trains
of the faithless.
"Of cities filled
with the foolish.
"What good amid these,
O me, O life?
"Answer:
That you are here.
"That life exists
and identity.
"That the powerful play
goes on,
and you may contribute
a verse."
"That the powerful play
goes on,
and you may contribute
a verse. "
What will your verse be?
[All] For what we are
about to receive,
may the Lord make us
truly grateful.
Amen.
Quite an interesting class
you gave today, Mr Keating.
- Sorry if I shocked you, Mr McAllister.
- There's no need to apologise.
It was very fascinating,
misguided though it was.
You think so?
You take a big risk by encouraging them
to become artists, John.
When they realize that they're
not Rembrandts, Shakespeares or Mozarts,
they'll hate you for it.
We're not talking artists, George.
We're talking freethinkers.
Freethinkers at 17?
Funny, I never pegged you
as a cynic.
Not a cynic.
A realist.
"Show me the heart unfettered
by foolish dreams,
and I'll show you
a happy man."
"But only in their dreams
can men be truly free.
'Twas always thus,
and always thus will be."
Tennyson?
No. Keating.
[Chuckling]
Hey, I found his senior
annual in the library.
Listen to this.
Captain of the soccer team.
Editor of the school annual.
Cambridge bound.
Thigh man
and the Dead Poets Society.
"Man Most Likely
To Do Anything."
Thigh man?
Mr "K" was a hell-raiser.
- [Chuckling]
- What's the Dead Poets Society?
- I don't know.
- Is there a picture in the annual?
- Nothing. No other mention of it.
- [Nolan] That boy there,
see me after lunch.
[Whistling 1812 Overture]
[Neil]
Mr Keating?
[Continues Whistling]
- Mr Keating?
[Continues]
- Sir?
- Say something.
- O Captain, my Captain?
- Gentlemen.
- [Boys Laugh]
We were just looking
in your old annual.
- Oh, my God. [Laughs]
- [Laughing]
- No, that's not me.
- [Boys Laugh]
Stanley "The Tool" Wilson.
[Chuckling]
- [Chuckling] God.
- What was the Dead Poets Society?
I doubt the present administration
would look too favourably upon that.
Why?
What was it?
- Gentlemen, can you keep a secret?
- Sure.
The Dead Poets were dedicated
to sucking the marrow out of life.
That's a phrase from Thoreau we'd invoke
at the beginning of every meeting.
You see, we would gather
at the old Indian cave...
and take turns reading from Thoreau,
Whitman, Shelley... the biggies.
Even some of our own verse.
And in the enchantment of the moment,
we'd let poetry work its magic.
You mean it was a bunch of guys
sitting around, reading poetry?
No, Mr Overstreet.
It wasn't just guys.
We weren't a Greek organization.
We were romantics.
We didn't just read poetry, we let it
drip from our tongues, like honey.
Spirits soared, women swooned
and gods were created, gentlemen.
Not a bad way
to spend an evening, eh?
Hmm.
Thank you, Mr Perry,
for this stroll down amnesia lane.
Burn that.
- Especially my picture.
- [Boys Chuckle]
[Resumes Whistling]
- Dead Poets Society.
[Cameron]
What?
[Bell Ringing]
- I say we go tonight.
- Tonight?
- Wait a minute.
- Everybody in?
- Where's this cave he's talking about?
- It's beyond the stream.
- I know where it is.
- [Pitts] That's miles.
- Sounds boring to me.
- [Charlie] Don't go.
- You know how many
demerits we're talking?
- So don't come. Please.
Look, all I'm saying
is that we have to be careful.
- We can't get caught.
- No shit, Sherlock.
You boys there!
Hurry up!
- All right, who's in?
- Aw, come on, Neil. Hager's...
Forget Hager! No!
Who's in?
I'm in.
[Hager Clapping]
I'm warning you! Move!
Me too.
- I don't know, Neil.
- What? Pitts!
- [Charlie] Pittsie, come on.
- [Meeks] His grades are hurting.
- You can help him, Meeks.
- What is this, a midnight study group?
Forget it, Pitts. You're coming.
Meeks, your grades hurting too?
- I'll try anything once.
- [Charlie] Except sex.
- [Meeks] Ha, ha, ha.
- I'm in as long as we're careful.
- What about you, Knox?
- I don't know, Charlie.
Come on, Knox.
It'll help you get Chris.
Yeah? How?
- Women swoon. [Laughing]
- But why do they swoon?
Charlie, tell me why they swoon!
Charlie!
[Boys Whispering]
[Neil Whispering] Okay,
follow the stream to the waterfall.
It's right there.
It's got to be on the banks.
I don't know.
This is starting to sound dangerous.
- Oh, well, why don't you stay home?
- Hey, you're crazy.
For God's sake,
stop chattering and sit down.
- Todd, are you coming tonight?
- No.
Why not? God, you were there.
You heard Keating.
- Don't you want
to do something about that?
- Yes.
- But...
- But? But what?
Keating said that everybody
took turns reading,
and I don't want to do that.
Gosh, you really have
a problem with that, don't you?
N-No, I don't have a problem.
Neil, I just...
I don't want to do it, okay?
All right.
What if you didn't have to read?
What if you just came and listened?
- That's not how it works.
- Well, forget how it works.
What if...
What if they said it was okay?
What... What, are you gonna
go up and ask them?
No.
No, Neil.
- I'll be right back.
- Neil. Neil!
- [Whispering]
- Oh, shut up, will you?
[Snake Charmer]
- That's for my asthma, okay?
[Continues]
- Could you give that back, please?
[Boy] What's the matter?
Don't you like snakes?
- You're in.
- [Spaz] Get away from me, okay?
- Why don't you check your pocket, huh?
[Continues]
- Come on. I have to brush my teeth.
- [Spaz] Get a... Get off.
- Cut out that racket in there!
[Rude Squeak]
[Door Opens]
[Dog Barks]
[Boys Whispering]
[Whispering, Footsteps]
- [Whispering Continues]
- Go. Go.
[Owl Hooting]
[Hooting Continues]
[Wings Flapping]
[Owl Hooting]
- [Yells] I'm a dead poet!
- Aw, shit, Charlie.
- [Neil] Guys! Over here!
- [Meeks] Funny. You're real funny.
- [Boys Chattering, Laughing]
- [Meeks] It's too wet.
[Charlie] God, are you trying
to smoke us out of here?
[Meeks] No, no. The smoke's
going right up this opening.
- [Pitts Yells]
- [Others Laughing]
- [Neil] You okay?
- [Pitts Groaning]
- Oh, God. Clowns.
- [Continues Groaning]
- All right, forget the fire.
- [Chattering]
- Let's go, gentlemen.
- [Chattering, Whistles, Chuckling]
- I hereby reconvene
the Dead Poets Society,
- [Cheering]
Welton Chapter.
The meetings will be
conducted by myself...
and the other
new initiates now present.
Todd Anderson, because
he prefers not to read,
will keep minutes
of the meetings.
I'll now read
the traditional opening message...
by Society member
Henry David Thoreau.
"I went to the woods because
I wanted to live deliberately.
I wanted to live deep and suck
out all the marrow of life."
I'll second that.
[Laughs]
"To put to rout
all that was not life.
"And not,
when I had come to die,
discover
that I had not lived."
[Whistles]
- Keating's marked
a bunch of other pages.
- All right, intermission!
Dig deep. Right here.
Right here, lay it down.
On the mud? We're gonna
put our food on the mud?
Meeks, put your coat down.
Picnic blanket.
- [Boys Chattering]
- Use Meeks' coat.
[Charlie]
Don't keep anything back either.
- You guys are always bumming my smokes.
- [Meeks] Raisins?
- [Knox] Yuck.
- [Charlie] Wait a minute!
- Who gave us half a roll?
- [Pitts] I'm eating the other half.
- Come on!
- What, you want me to put it back?
It was a dark and rainy night,
and this old lady,
who had a passion
for jigsaw puzzles,
sat by herself in her house at her table
to complete a new jigsaw puzzle.
But as she pieced
the puzzle together,
she realized,
to her astonishment,
that the image that was formed
was her very own room.
And the figure
in the centre of the puzzle,
as she completed it,
was herself.
And with trembling hands,
she placed the last four pieces...
and stared in horror at the face
of a demented madman at the window.
The last thing that
this old lady ever heard...
- was the sound of breaking glass.
- No, she didn't.
- [Laughing, Chattering]
- Yes, this is true. This is true.
- I've got one that's better than that.
- [Charlie Laughs]
I do. There's a young,
married couple,
and they're driving through the forest
at night on a long trip.
And they run out of gas,
and there's a madman on the...
The thing with the hand?
- [All Chattering]
- I love that story!
- [Charlie] I told you that one.
- You did not.
- I got that in camp in sixth grade.
- Last year?
"In a mean abode
in the Shanking Road,
"lived a man named
William Bloat.
"Now, he had a wife,
the plague of his life,
"who continually
got his goat.
"And one day at dawn,
with her nightshift on,
he slit
her bloody throat."
- [All Chuckling]
- [Pitts] Oh, and it gets worse.
You want to hear
a real poem?
- You want this?
- No, I don't need... Get this outta here.
- What, did you bring one?
- You memorized a poem?
- [Mumbling]
- You memorized a poem?
- An original piece by Charlie Dalton.
- An original piece.
- Take centre stage.
- You know, this is history, right?
- [Laughing]
- [Clears Throat]
[Boys Gasp]
Wow. Whoa.
- Where did you get that?
- [Laughing]
[Cameron]
Where did you...
- Whoa.
- "Teach me to love?
"Go teach thyself more wit.
"I chief professor am of it.
"The god of love,
if such a thing there be,
may learn to love from me."
[Neil]
Wow. Did you write that?
[Clapping, Cheering]
Abraham Cowley.
Okay.
Who's next?
Alfred Lord Tennyson.
"Come, my friends.
"'Tis not too late
to seek a newer world.
"For my purpose holds
to sail beyond the sunset.
"And though we are not
now that strength...
"which in old days
moved Earth and heaven.
"That which we are, we are:
"One equal temper
of heroic hearts...
"made weak by time and fate,
but strong in will...
"to strive, to seek, to find,
and not to yield."
"Then I had religion,
then I had a vision.
"I could not turn from
their revel in derision.
"Then I saw the Congo
creeping through the black,
cutting through the forest
with a golden track."
- Then I saw the Congo
creeping through the black,
- [Chanting] Meeks. Meeks.
Cutting through the forest
with a golden track.
Then I saw the Congo
creeping through the black,
- cutting through the forest
with a golden track.
[Drumming]
[All Chanting, Whooping]
Then I saw the Congo
creeping through the black,
- cutting through the forest
with a golden track!
[Mouth Harp]
Then I saw the Congo
creeping through the black,
cutting through the forest
with a golden track!
Then I saw the Congo
creeping through the black,
cutting through the forest
with a golden track!
Then I saw the Congo
creeping through the black,
- cutting through the forest
with a golden track!
- [Whoops]
Then I saw the Congo
creeping through the black,
cutting through the forest
with a golden track!
[Continues]
- [Nonsensical Chanting, Whooping]
Cutting through the forest
with a golden track!
Then I saw the Congo
creeping through the black...
[Bell Tolls 2:00]
A man is not "very tired."
He is "exhausted."
And don't use "very sad."
Use...
Come on, Mr Overstreet,
you twerp.
- [Knox] "Morose"?
- Exactly! Morose!
Language was developed for one
endeavour, and that is... Mr Anderson?
Come on,
are you a man or an amoeba?
[Boy Chuckles]
Mr Perry?
Uh... to communicate.
No! To woo women.
- [Laughing]
- Today we're going to be talking...
- about William Shakespeare.
- [Boys Grumbling] Oh, God.
I know. A lot of you
look forward to this...
about as much as you look forward
to root canal work.
We're gonna talk
about Shakespeare...
as someone who writes
something very interesting.
Now, many of you have seen Shakespeare
done very much like this:
[British Accent]
"O, Titus, bring your friend hither."
But if any of you have seen
Mr Marlon Brando,
[Imitating Brando] you know
that Shakespeare can be different.
"Friends, Romans, countrymen,
lend me your ears."
[Boys Laughing]
You can also imagine maybe
John Wayne as Macbeth going...
[Imitating Wayne] "Well,
is this a dagger I see before me?"
[Laughing]
"Dogs, sir?
Oh, not just now.
"I do enjoy a good dog
once in a while, sir.
"You can have yourself
a three-course meal from one dog.
"Start with a canine croquette.
"Go to your Fido Flambe
for main course.
"And for dessert,
a Pekingese parfait.
And you can pick your teeth
with the little paw. "
Why do I stand up here?
- Anybody?
- To feel taller.
- No! Thank you for playing.
- [Rings Bell]
- [Laughing]
- I stand upon my desk...
to remind myself that we must constantly
look at things in a different way.
See, the world looks
very different from up here.
You don't believe me?
Come see for yourselves.
Come on.
Come on. Just when you
think you know something,
you have to look at it
in another way.
Even though it may seem
silly or wrong,
you must try.
Now when you read, don't just
consider what the author thinks.
- Consider what you think.
- [Jumps Down]
Boys, you must strive
to find your own voice.
Because the longer
you wait to begin,
the less likely you are
to find it at all.
Thoreau said, "Most men lead
lives of quiet desperation."
Don't be resigned to that.
Break out.
Don't just walk off the edge
like lemmings. Look around you.
- [Bell Ringing]
- There you go, Mr Priske. Thank you!
Yes!
Dare to strike out
and find new ground.
- [Tolling Continues]
- Now, in addition to your essays,
I would like you to compose
a poem of your own, an original work.
- [Boys Groaning]
[Hums Ominous Tune]
That's right.
You have to deliver it aloud,
in front of the class on Monday.
- [Groaning Continues]
- Bon chance, gentlemen.
Mr Anderson.
Don't think I don't know this assignment
scares the hell out of you, you mole.
[Boys Laughing]
[Jumps Down]
Take a power train in two!
- Three, keep your eyes in the boat!
- Stroke! Stroke!
- Stroke! Stroke!
- [Nolan Continues Shouting]
[Static, Rock 'n'Roll]
- [Meeks] We got it, Pittsie.
Radio Free America!
Some people like to rock
But movin'and a-groovin'
Let's have a party
Let's spin it to the soul
I never kissed a bear
But I can shake a chicken
- [Door Opens]
[Laughing]
- I found it.
- You found what?
What I want to do right now.
What's really, really inside of me.
- "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
- [Neil] This is it.
- What is that?
- [Laughing] It's a play, dummy.
I know that.
Wh-What does it have to do with you?
All right, they're
putting it on at Henley Hall.
Open tryouts.
Open tryouts!
- Yeah, so?
- So!
I'm gonna act.
[Shouts]
Yes! Yes!
I'm gonna be an actor!
Ever since I can remember,
I've wanted to try this!
I even tried to go
to summer stock auditions last year,
but, of course,
my father wouldn't let me.
For the first time in my whole life,
I know what I want to do.
[Snatches Papers] And for
the first time, I'm gonna do it...
whether my father
wants me to or not!
- Carpe diem!
- Neil, Neil, hold it.
How are you gonna be in a play
if your father won't let you?
First, I gotta get the part,
then I can worry about that.
But won't he kill you if he finds out
you went to an audition
and didn't tell him?
No, no, no. As far as I'm concerned,
he won't have to know about any of this.
- Well, that's impossible.
- Bullshit. Nothing's impossible.
Well, why don't you just call him
and ask him and m-maybe he'll say yes.
That's a laugh.
If I don't ask him,
at least I won't be disobeying him.
- Yeah, but if he said no before...
- Jesus, Todd, whose side are you on?
[Grabs Flyer]
I mean, I haven't even
gotten the part yet.
Can't I even enjoy the idea
for a little while?
- You're coming to the meeting?
- I don't know. Maybe.
Nothing Mr Keating has to say
means shit to you, does it, Todd?
- Wh-What is that supposed to mean?
- You're in the club!
Being in the club means
being stirred up by things.
You look about
as stirred up as a cesspool.
- So you want me out?
- No, I want you in!
But being in means you gotta do
something, not just say you're in.
Listen, Neil, I mean,
I appreciate this concern,
but I'm not like you,
all right?
You... You-You say things
and people listen.
L... l-I'm not like that.
- Don't you think you could be?
- No.
L... l-I don't know,
but that's not the point.
The point is, there's nothing you can
do about it, so you can just butt out.
I can take care
of myself just fine.
All right?
No.
What do you mean, "no"?
No.
Give me that!
Neil!
- Neil, give that back!
- "We are dreaming of a tomorrow..."
- It's poetry!
- Neil!
I'm being chased by Walt Whitman!
[Laughing]
Okay! Okay!
What are you guys doing?
I'm trying... You see this chemistry...
- Hey. Give me... Neil, give me...
- [Laughing]
- Don't be immature. Come on!
- [Laughing Continues]
- I need my...
- [Charlie Shouts] Give it to me!
- [Neil] Charlie!
- [Shouting, Laughing]
[Cameron]
Let me have my book. I need my...
[Shouting, Laughing]
[Whistle, Drums, Hooting]
[Shouting]
[Continues Shouting]
[Birds Squawking]
[Trumpet Playing "Charge"]
[Horns Blaring]
- [Crowd Cheering]
[Continues]
[Cheering Continues]
[Funky Drum Cadence]
[Crowd Shouting, Hooting]
[Cheering Continues]
[Coach Blowing Whistle]
Okay, everybody on the bus.
Let's go, boys.
[Blowing Whistle]
- Come on. Let's go. On the bus, boys.
- [Car Engines Revving]
- Now!
- [Revving Continues, Crowd Cheering]
Now, devotees may argue...
that one sport or game
is inherently better than another.
For me, sport
is actually a chance...
for us to have other human beings
push us to excel.
I want you all to come over here
and take a slip of paper...
and line up single file.
Mr Meeks,
time to inherit the Earth.
Mr Pitts...
rise above your name.
I want you to hand these out
to the boys, one apiece.
[Keating Blows Whistle]
You know what to do, Pitts!
"Oh, to struggle against great odds,
to meet enemies undaunted."
[Keating] Sounds like you're daunted.
Say it again like you're undaunted.
"Oh, to struggle against great odds,
to meet enemies undaunted"!
[Keating]
Now go on!
Yes!
Next!
"To be a sailor of the world
bound for all ports."
Next.
Louder!
"Oh, I live to be the ruler of life,
not a slave." [Kicks Ball]
"To mount the scaffolds.
To advance to the muzzles of guns
with perfect nonchalance. "
- [Kicks Ball]
[Classical]
Come on, Meeks!
Listen to the music!
"To dance, clap hands,
exalt, shout, skip,
- roll on, float on!"
- [Keating] Yes!
"Oh, to have life henceforth,
the poem of new joys."
[Kicks Ball Weakly]
[Groans, Blows Raspberry]
Boo!
Come on, Charlie,
let it fill your soul.
"To indeed be a god!"
Charlie, I got the part!
[Shouts]
I'm gonna play Puck!
- I'm gonna play Puck!
- What did he say?
- Puck you!
- The main part!
- Great, Neil!
- Charlie, I got it!
- Congratulations.
- Good for you! Good for you!
- [Hallway Chatter Continues]
- Okay, okay, okay, okay.
- [Exhales]
- Neil, how are you gonna do this?
They need a letter of permission
from my father and Mr Nolan.
- You're not gonna write it.
- Oh, yes, I am.
- Oh, Neil... Neil, you're crazy.
- [Laughs, Squawks]
- [Laughs]
- Okay.
I am writing to you...
on behalf of...
my son...
Neil Perry.
[Giggling, Stamping Feet]
This is great!
[Bagpipes]
[Continues]
[Bagpipes Continue]
[Rips Paper]
"To Chris."
[Boys Murmuring]
Who's Chris? Mmm, Chris.
"I see a sweetness
in her smile.
"Bright light shines
from her eyes.
"But life is complete,
contentment is mine...
- "just knowing that...
- [Snickering]
- "Just knowing that... [Sighs]
- [Laughing]
She's alive."
- I'm sorry, Captain. It's stupid.
- No. No, it's not stupid.
It's a good effort. It touched on
one of the major themes: Love.
A major theme
not only in poetry but life.
Mr Hopkins, you were laughing.
You're up.
[Boys Snickering]
"The cat sat on the mat."
[Boys Laughing]
[Keating]
Congratulations, Mr Hopkins.
Yours is the first poem to ever have
a negative score on the Pritchard scale.
We're not laughing at you,
we're laughing near you.
I don't mind that your poem
had a simple theme.
Sometimes the most beautiful poetry
can be about simple things,
like a cat or a flower or rain.
You see, poetry can come from anything
with the stuff of revelation in it.
Just don't let your poems
be ordinary.
Now, who's next?
Mr Anderson, I see you
sitting there in agony.
Come on, Todd, step up.
Let's put you out of your misery.
L-I didn't do it.
I didn't write a poem.
Mr Anderson thinks everything inside
of him is worthless and embarrassing.
Isn't that right, Todd?
Isn't that your worst fear?
Well, I think you're wrong. I think
you have something inside of you...
that is worth a great deal.
"I sound...
"my barbaric...
"yawp...
[Continues Writing]
"Over the rooftops...
of the world. "
W.W.
Uncle Walt, again.
Now, for those of you who don't know,
a yawp is a loud cry or yell.
Now, Todd, I would like you to give us
a demonstration of a barbaric yawp.
- [Boys Chuckling]
- Come on, you can't yawp sitting down.
Let's go.
Come on, up.
- Got to get in yawping stance.
- [Boys Laughing]
- A-Ayawp?
- Not just a yawp. A barbaric yawp.
- Right. Yawp.
- Come on. Louder.
- [Louder] Yawp.
- That's a mouse. Come on, louder!
- Yawp.
- Oh, good God, boy, yell like a man!
- Yawp!
- There it is.
You see, you have a barbarian
in you after all.
You don't get away that easy. There's
a picture of Uncle Walt up there.
What does he remind you of?
Don't think, answer. Go on.
- A m-m-m-madman.
- [Keating] What kind of madman?
- Don't think about it, just answer.
- A cr-crazy madman.
No, you can do better than that.
Free up your mind. Use your imagination.
Say the first thing that pops into
your head, even if it's total gibberish.
A-A-A sweaty-toothed madman.
Good God, boy, there's
a poet in you after all!
There. Close your eyes.
Close your eyes. Close them.
Now, describe what you see.
- Uh, l-I close my eyes...
- Yes?
- Uh, and his image floats beside me.
- A sweaty-toothed madman.
A sweaty-toothed madman with
a stare that pounds my brain.
Oh, that's excellent!
Now, give him action,
make him do something.
- H-His hands reach out and choke me.
- That's it. Wonderful. Wonderful.
- And all the time he's mumbling.
- What's he mumbling?
- Mumbling truth.
- Yes.
- Truth is like a blanket that
always leaves your feet cold.
- [Boys Laughing]
Forget them. Forget them. Stay with
the blanket. Tell me about that blanket.
Y-Y-You push it, stretch it,
it'll never be enough.
You kick at it, beat it,
it'll never cover any of us.
From the moment we enter crying
to the moment we leave dying,
it'll just cover your face
as you wail and cry and scream.
[Boys Cheering,
Applauding]
- [Cheering, Applause Continue]
- [Softly] Don't you forget this.
[Puffing, Coughs]
- [Boys Laughing]
- [Charlie] That a boy, Pittsie.
- Inhale, deeply.
- [Meeks] My dad collects pipes.
- [Pitts] Really?
- [Meeks] He must have 30.
Your parents collect pipes?
Oh, that's interesting. [Laughing]
- Come on, Knox. Join in.
- Yeah, Knox, we're from the government.
We're here to help.
What's wrong?
- [Boys Taunting] It's Chris!
- Here's a picture of Chris for you!
- Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
- It's not funny.
Knock it off.
Smoke your pipes.
- [Meeks] Neil.
- Friends, scholars, Welton men.
What is that, Neil?
- Duh, it's a lamp, Meeks.
- No, this is the god of the cave.
- The god of the cave.
[Saxophone]
[Blaring]
- Charlie, what are you doing?
- What do you say we start this meeting?
- I need a light. Who's got a light?
- Anybody bring earplugs?
[Clears Throat]
Gentlemen.
- "Poetrusic" by Charles Dalton.
- [Boys Murmuring]
[Wild, Random Notes]
- [Groaning] Oh, man.
Laughing, crying,
tumbling, mumbling.
Gotta do more,
gotta be more.
[Wild, Random Notes]
- [Groans]
- [Boy Laughs] Pitts.
Chaos screaming, chaos dreaming.
Gotta do more, gotta be more!
[Slow, Sweet Melody]
[Sweet Melody Continues]
- Wow. Nice.
- That was great.
Where did you learn
to play like that?
My parents made me take
the clarinet for years!
- I love the clarinet.
- I hated it.
[Boys Laughing]
The saxophone.
The saxophone is more... sonorous.
Ooh, more sonorous.
Vocabulary.
[Throws Pipe Down] I can't take
it any more. If I don't have Chris,
- I'm gonna kill myself.
- [Charlie] Knoxious, calm down.
No, Charlie!
That's just my problem.
I've been calm all my life.
I'm gonna do something about that.
Where are you going?
What are you gonna do?
I'm gonna call her.
[Dastardly Chuckling]
- He's gonna call her!
- Wait for me!
[Wildly]
[Line Ringing]
[Chris]
Hello?
- [Coins Drop]
- She's gonna hate me.
The Danburrys will hate me.
My parents will kill me.
[Softly]
All right, goddam it.
You're right.
Carpe diem.
[Deposits Coins, Dials]
Even if it kills me.
[All Chuckling]
[Line Ringing]
- [Chris] Hello?
- Hello, Chris?
- Yes.
- Hi. This is Knox Overstreet.
- [Boys Chuckling]
- Oh, yes. Knox.
- I'm glad you called.
- [Whispers] She's glad I called.
[Chris] Listen, Chet's parents
are going out of town this weekend,
and he's having a party.
- Would you like to come?
- Would I like to come to a party?
- Yes. Say yes.
- It's Friday.
- Well, sure.
- [Chris] About 7:00.
- [Knox] Great. I'll be there, Chris.
- Okay.
- Friday night at the Danburrys'. Okay.
- Okay. Bye.
- Thank you. I'll see you. Bye.
- [Coins Drop]
- Yawp!
[Chuckling]
Can you believe it?
She was gonna call me.
She invited me
to a party with her.
- At Chet Danburry's house.
- Yeah.
- Well?
- So?
So you don't really think
she means you're going with her?
Well, of course not, Charlie.
But that's not the point.
- That's not the point at all.
- What is the point?
- The point, Charlie...
- Uh-huh?
- Is...
- Yeah?
That she was
thinking about me.
I've only met her once,
and already...
she's thinking about me.
- Damn it, it's gonna happen, guys.
- [Others Chuckling]
I feel it.
She is going to be mine.
- [Laughs]
[Humming]
- Carpe! Carpe!
[Continues Humming]
No grades at stake, gentlemen.
Just take a stroll.
- There it is.
- [Boys Clapping In Time To Steps]
- I don't know, but I've been told.
- I don't know, but I've been told.
[Keating]
Doing poetry is cold.
- [Boys] Doing poetry is cold.
- Left. Left. Left, right, left.
Left. Left.
Left, right, left.
Left. Halt!
Thank you, gentlemen.
If you noticed, everyone started off
with their own stride, their own pace.
Mr Pitts taking his time.
He knew he'll get there one day.
Mr Cameron. You could see him thinking,
"Is this right? It might be right.
It might be right. I know that...
Maybe not. I don't know."
Mr Overstreet,
driven by a deeper force. Yes.
We know that. All right. Now, I didn't
bring them up here to ridicule them.
I brought them up here to
illustrate the point of conformity.
The difficulty in maintaining your
own beliefs in the face of others.
Now, I see the look in your eyes like,
"I would have walked differently."
Well, ask yourselves
why you were clapping.
Now we all have a great need
for acceptance.
But you must trust that
your beliefs are unique, your own.
Even though others may think
them odd or unpopular.
Even though the herd may go,
"That's ba-a-a-a-ad."
- [Boys Laughing]
- [Keating] Robert Frost said,
"Two roads diverged in the wood and I,
I took the one less traveled by.
And that has made
all the difference."
I want you to find
your own walk right now,
your own way of striding,
pacing any direction.
Anything you want, whether it's proud,
whether it's silly, anything.
- Gentlemen, the courtyard is yours.
- [Boys Murmuring, Chuckling]
You don't have to perform,
just make it for yourself.
Mr Dalton,
will you be joining us?
Exercising the right
not to walk.
Thank you, Mr Dalton.
Just illustrated the point.
- Swim against the stream.
- [Boys Chattering]
Todd?
- Hey.
- Hey.
- What's going on?
- Nothing.
- Today's my birthday.
- Is today your birthday?
- Happy birthday.
- Thanks.
- What did you get?
- My parents just gave me this.
Isn't this the same desk set...
Yeah, yeah, they gave me
the same thing as last year.
- Oh.
- Oh.
Maybe they thought you needed
another one. [Laughs]
[Laughs] Maybe they weren't
thinking about anything at all.
The funny thing is, about this,
is I didn't even like it the first time.
- [Laughs]
- [Laughs]
Todd, I think you're underestimating
the value of this desk set.
I mean, who would want
a football or a baseball...
- Or a car.
- Mm-hmm, or a car...
if they could have a desk set
as wonderful as this one.
I mean, if I were ever going
to buy a desk set... twice,
I would probably
buy this one... both times.
[Laughing]
In fact, its... shape is...
It's rather aerodynamic,
isn't it?
You can feel it.
[Exhales]
This desk set wants to fly.
Todd...
the world's first
unmanned flying desk set.
[Yells]
[Both Laughing,
Desk Supplies Clattering]
Oh, my!
Well, I wouldn't worry.
- You'll get another one next year.
- [Laughing]
[Boys] "To live deep and suck out
all the marrow of life.
- To put to rout all that was not life..."
- [Girls Laughing]
- [Laughing Continues]
- My God.
- [Girl] Is this it?
- [Charlie] Yeah, this is it.
Go ahead. Go on in.
It's my cave. Watch your step.
[Girls Giggling]
Uh-oh.
[Giggling]
Hi.
- [Meeks] Hello.
- [Girl] Hi.
Hi, guys. Meet, uh, Gloria and...
[Snaps Fingers]
- Tina.
- Tina.
- This is the pledge class
of the Dead Poets Society.
- [Boys] Hello.
- How do you do?
- Hello.
- Hi.
Guys, move. Move!
Come on, folks, it's Friday night.
Let's get on with the meeting.
Guys, I have an announcement to make.
In keeping with the spirit of passionate
experimentation of the Dead Poets,
I'm giving up the name
Charles Dalton.
From now on,
call me Nuwanda.
[Boys Laughing]
Nuwanda?
[Giggling]
[Boys Chuckling, Chattering]
[Indian War Whooping]
Hello? Hello, Chris?
I crashed in thejungle
With my little girl
- [Chris] Knox!
- Hi.
- You made it! Great.
- Did you bring anybody?
- No.
No? Ginny Danburry's here.
Look, I have to go find Chet.
- Why don't you go downstairs?
That's where everybody is.
- Yeah, but Chris, I've...
- Make yourself at home.
- But I've...
Baby, baby
You know your old-time lover
[Continues]
- Hi, guys.
[Pouring Beer]
Hey, you Mutt Sanders'
brother?
Bubba, this guy look like
Mutt Sanders to you, or what?
- You're his brother?
- [Chuckles] No relation.
- Never heard of him. Sorry, guys.
- Where's our manners, Steve?
Here's Mutt Sanders' brother
and we don't even offer him a drink.
- Here you go. Have some whisky, pal.
- Yeah.
I, uh, I don't really drink whisky.
- To Mutt.
- To Mutt.
- To Mutt.
- [Sighs]
- How the hell is old Mutt anyway?
- Yeah, what's old Mutter been up to?
[Coughing]
I don't really know Mutt.
[Sighs]
To the Mighty Mutt.
- To Mighty Mutt.
- To Mighty Mutt.
[Sighs, Shudders]
Listen, I gotta go find Patsy.
- Say hello to Mutt for me, okay?
- Will do.
- Hell of a guy, your brother Mutt.
- [Sighs]
We gonna have a meeting,
or what?
Yeah, if you guys
don't have a meeting,
how do we know
if we want to join?
"Join"?
"Shall I compare thee
to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely
and more temperate."
That's so sweet.
- I made that up just for you.
- You did?
I'll write one
for you too, Gloria.
[Sighs]
"She walks in beauty
like the night.
"She walks in beauty
like the night...
"of cloudless climes
and starry skies.
"All that's best,
dark and bright,
- meet in her aspect and her eyes."
- That's beautiful.
There's plenty more
where that came from.
[Crowd Chattering]
[Belches]
[Growling]
She sure looks fine to me
Look out
[Continues]
[Both Moaning]
[Continues]
God, help me.
Ooh, baby
Hey, little girl
- [Whispers] Carpe diem.
You know I'll come get you
Won't keep you out
- You don't remember?
- [Bubba] Chet. Chet. Look.
- [Chet] What?
- It's Mutt Sanders' brother.
- [Chet] Huh?
- Knox, what...
- And he's feeling up your girl!
[Chris]
What are you doing?
- [Chet] What the hell are you doing?
- [Chris] Chet. Chet, don't!
- Now, Chet, I know this looks bad...
- Leave him alone.
Chet, no!
You'll hurt him!
- Chet, stop it! Leave him alone!
- Damn!
- Chet, stop it!
- Bastard!
- [Groaning]
- Knox, are you all right?
[Chet]
Chris, get the hell away from him!
- Chet, you hurt him!
- Good!
- I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
- It's okay. It's-It's okay.
Next time I see you,
you die.
[Guests Chattering]
Go ahead.
Pass it around.
Me and Pitts are working
on a hi-fi system.
It shouldn't be that hard to,
uh, to put together.
Yeah. Uh, I might
be going to Yale.
Uh, but l-I might not.
Don't you guys miss
having girls around here?
- [Chuckles] Yeah.
- [Chuckles] Yeah.
[Charlie]
That's part of what this club is about.
In fact,
I'd like to announce...
I published an article in the school
paper in the name of the Dead Poets,
- What?
- demanding girls
be admitted to Welton...
- You didn't.
- So we can all stop beating off.
- How did you do that?
- [Charlie] I'm one of the proofers.
- I slipped the article in.
- It's-It's over now.
Why?
Nobody knows who we are.
Well, don't you think
they're gonna figure out who wrote it?
They're gonna come to you and ask
to know what the Dead Poets Society is.
Charlie, you had no right
to do something like that.
It's Nuwanda, Cameron.
[Gloria]
That's right. It's Nuwanda.
Are we just playing around out here,
or do we mean what we say?
If all we do is come together
and read a bunch of poems to each other,
- what the hell are we doing?
- [Neil] All right.
But you still shouldn't
have done it, Charlie.
This could mean trouble.
You don't speak for the club.
Hey, would you not worry about
your precious little neck?
If they catch me,
I'll tell them I made it up.
- [Whispering]
- Fine.
Sit.
In this week's issue
of Welton Honor,
there appeared a profane
and unauthorized article.
Rather than spend my valuable time
ferreting out the guilty persons...
and let me assure you
I will find them...
I'm asking any and all students
who know anything about this article...
to make themselves known
here and now.
Whoever the guilty persons are,
this is your only chance to avoid
expulsion from this school.
[Phone Ringing,
Teachers Murmuring]
Welton Academy.
Hello.
Yes, he is.
Just a moment.
Mr Nolan, it's for you.
It's God!
He says we should have girls
at Welton.
[Boys Laughing]
Wipe that smirk off your face.
If you think, Mr Dalton,
that you're the first to try to get
thrown out of this school, think again.
Others have had similar notions and have
failed just as surely as you will fail.
- Assume the position.
- [Sighs]
Count aloud, Mr Dalton.
[Paddle Strikes]
One.
[Strikes Dalton]
Two.
[Strikes Dalton]
Three.
- [Strikes Dalton]
- Four. [Stifles Groan]
- [Paddle Strikes]
- Five.
What is this Dead Poets Society?
I want names.
[Low Murmuring]
- [Neil] You kicked out?
- No.
- [Neil] So what happened?
- [Sighs]
I'm to turn everybody in,
apologise to the school,
and all will be forgiven.
So what are you gonna do?
- Charlie...
- Damn it, Neil,
the name is Nuwanda.
[Door Closes]
[Both Chuckling]
Excuse me.
May we have a word, Mr Keating?
Certainly.
This was my first classroom, John.
Did you know that?
My first desk.
I didn't know you taught,
Mr Nolan.
English.
Long before your time.
It was hard giving it up,
I can tell you.
I'm hearing rumours
about some unorthodox
teaching methods in your classroom.
I'm not saying they've had anything
to do with the Dalton boy's outburst,
but I don't think I have to warn you
boys his age are very impressionable.
Well, your reprimand made
quite an impression, I'm sure.
- What was going on
in the courtyard the other day?
- Courtyard?
- Boys marching, clapping in unison.
- Oh, that.
That was an exercise to prove a point:
Dangers of conformity.
Well, John, the curriculum here is set.
It's proven. It works.
If you question it, what's to
prevent them from doing the same?
I always thought the idea of education
was to learn to think for yourself.
At these boys' age?
Not on your life!
Tradition, John. Discipline.
Prepare them for college,
and the rest will take care of itself.
[Footsteps Departing]
- Creak. [Hits Bongo Drum]
- [Chuckling]
He starts walking around
towards my left.
Creak. Creak.
[Hitting Bongo Drum]
"Assume the position, Mr Dalton,"
which means...
[Keating]
All right, gentlemen.
- Mr Keating.
- Mr Dalton.
That was a pretty lame stunt
you pulled today.
You're siding with Mr Nolan?
What about carpe diem
and sucking all the marrow...
- out of life and all that?
- Sucking the marrow out of life...
doesn't mean
choking on the bone.
There is a time for daring,
and there is a time for caution.
And a wise man understands
which is called for.
But I thought you'd like that.
No.
You being expelled from school
is not daring to me. It's stupid.
'Cause you'll miss some
golden opportunities.
Yeah? Like what?
Like, if nothing else,
the opportunity to attend my classes.
Got it, ace?
Aye, aye, Captain.
Keep your head about you.
That goes
for the lot of you.
- Yes, Captain.
- Yes, Captain.
Phone call from God.
If it'd been collect,
it would have been daring.
[Door Closes]
- [Neil] All right. Go on, boy.
- No.
[Bell Tolling]
- [Director]
We're trying to rehearse, okay? Go.
[Flute]
[Actor] A good persuasion,
therefore hear me, Hermia.
Wait, wait. The excitement. I don't
hear any excitement about this play.
Now take her hand,
bring her downstage...
and stop
and "Fair, gentle Hermia."
Okay? Try again.
- [Bell Ringing]
- [Pitts] What's for dinner?
- Spaghetti and meatballs!
- Food!
[Boys Chattering]
Save some for me.
"But, room, fairy!
Here comes Oberon."
- Father.
- Neil.
Wait a minute.
Before you say anything,
- please let me ex...
- Don't you dare talk back to me.
It's bad enough that
you've wasted your time...
with this, this
absurd acting business,
but you deliberately
deceived me.
How-How-How did you expect
to get away with this?
Answer me.
Who put you up to it?
- Was it this new man? Keating?
- No.
Nobody p... I thought I'd surprise you.
I've gotten all A's in every class.
Did you really think
I wasn't going to find out?
"Oh, my niece is in a play
with your son," says Mrs Marks.
"No, no, no," I say. "You must be
mistaken. My son's not in a play."
You made a liar
out of me, Neil!
Now, tomorrow, you go to them
and you tell them that you're quitting.
No, I can't.
I have the main part.
The performance is tomorrow night!
I don't care if the world
comes to an end tomorrow night,
you are through with that play!
Is that clear?
[Louder]
Is that clear?
Yes, sir.
I made a great many sacrifices
to get you here, Neil,
and you will not let me down.
No, sir.
- [Knocking]
- It's open.
[Closes Door]
Neil, what's up?
- Can I speak to you a minute?
- Certainly. Sit down.
Oh.
- I'm sorry. Here.
- Excuse me.
- Get you some tea?
- Tea? Sure.
- Want some milk or sugar in that?
- No, thanks.
Gosh, they don't give you
much room around here.
It's part of the monastic oath.
They don't want worldly things
distracting me from my teaching.
- She's pretty.
- She's also in London.
- [Laughs]
- Makes it a little difficult.
- How do you stand it?
- Stand what?
You can go anywhere. You can do
anything. How can you stand being here?
Because I love teaching.
I don't want to be anywhere else.
- What's up?
- I just talked to my father.
He's making me quit the play
at Henley Hall.
But acting is everything to me.
I mean...
But he doesn't know. He...
I can see his point. We're not
a rich family like Charlie's. I mean...
But he's planning the rest
of my life for me.
And he-he's never asked me
what I want.
Have you ever told your father
what you just told me?
About your passion for acting?
Have you showed him that?
- I can't.
- Why not?
I can't talk to him this way.
Then you're acting for him too.
You're playing the part
of the dutiful son.
I know this sounds impossible,
but you have to talk to him.
You have to show him
who you are, what your heart is.
I know what he'll say.
He'll tell me that acting's a whim
and I should forget it.
[Sniffling]
They're counting on me.
He'll just tell me to put it
out of my mind for my own good.
You are not
an indentured servant.
It's not a whim for you. You prove it to
him by your conviction and your passion.
You show him that,
and if he still doesn't believe you...
Well, by then, you'll be out of school,
and you can do anything you want.
No.
[Sniffling]
What about the play?
The show's tomorrow night.
Then you have to talk
to him before tomorrow night.
L...
[Sighs]
- Isn't there an easier way?
- No.
[Chuckles]
I'm trapped.
No, you're not.
[All Chattering]
[Chattering Continues]
Chris!
Chris! Chris Noel.
Do you know where she is?
- Um, I think she's in Room 111.
- Thanks.
I know.
Excuse me. Chris...
Knox, what are you doing here?
I came to apologize for the other night.
I brought you these
and a poem I wrote for you.
Knox, don't you know that
if Chet finds you here, he'll kill you?
- I don't care. I love you, Chris.
- Knox, you're crazy.
Look, I acted like a jerk,
and I know it.
- Please accept these. Please.
- No. No, l-I can't.
Just forget it.
[Bell Rings]
[Door Opens, Closes]
[All Chattering]
- Knox, I don't believe this.
- All I'm asking you to do is listen.
[Knox Reading]
"The heavens made a girl named Chris...
"with hair and skin of gold.
- [Chattering Stops]
- [Knox] "To touch her...
- [Boy Snickers]
- [Sighs]
- Would be paradise. "
- [Bell Ringing]
- [Boys Chattering]
[Belch]
[Charlie]
Get out of here. Cameron, you fool.
Hey, how'd it go?
Did you read it to her?
- Yeah.
- [Laughing] Wow. What'd she say?
- Nothing.
- What do you mean, nothing?
Nothing.
But I did it.
[Charlie] Well, what did she say?
She had to say something!
- [Pitts] Hey, Knox!
- [Knox Whooping] Seize the day!
- Did you talk to your father?
- Uh, yeah.
He didn't like it one bit, but at least
he's letting me stay in the play.
He won't be able to m-make it.
He's in Chicago.
But, uh, I think he's gonna
let me stay with acting.
Really? You told him
what you told me?
Yeah.
[Chuckles]
He wasn't happy.
But he'll be gone
at least four days.
I don't think he'll make
the show, but...
I think he'll let me
stay with it.
"Keep up the schoolwork."
[Chuckles]
Thanks.
[Gathers Books, Exits]
- Oh, baby.
- Beautiful baby.
- I am...
- Excuse me.
- Just a moment. Yes. You're so good.
- [Laughing]
Come on, Todd.
I'm trying to fix this.
Come on, Nuwanda,
we're going to miss Neil's entrance.
He said something about
getting red before we left.
- "Getting red"? What does that mean?
- L... You know Charlie.
[Meeks] So, Charlie,
what's this "getting red"bit?
- Ooh. [Laughs]
- Ooh. [Laughs]
[Laughing]
W-What is that?
It's an Indian warrior
symbol for virility.
Makes me feel potent,
like I can drive girls crazy.
[Knox] Oh, come on, Charlie.
The girls are waiting.
[Boys Chattering, Whistling]
Whoa.
[Whistling]
[Wolf Whistle]
Chris.
What are you doing here?
- [Keating] Gentlemen, let's go!
- Go ahead, guys. I'll catch up.
Yeah. Come on, guys.
[Knox]
Chris, you can't be in here.
- If they catch you, we're both
gonna be in big trouble.
- Come on.
- Oh, but it's fine if...
- Shh, shh. Chris.
It's fine for you to come barging into
my school and make a fool out of me?
I didn't mean
to make a fool out of you.
Well, you did.
Chet found out.
It took everything I could do to keep
him from coming here and killing you.
- Knox, you have got to stop this stuff.
- I can't, Chris. I love you.
Knox, you say that over and over.
You don't...
You don't even know me.
[Keating]
Will you bejoining us, Mr Overstreet?
- [Knox] Go ahead, Captain. I'll walk.
- [Starts Engine]
Knox. Knox,
i-it just so happens...
that I could care less
about you.
Then you wouldn't be here
warning me about Chet.
I have to go.
I'm gonna be late for the play.
- Are you going with him?
- [Laughs] Chet? To a play?
- Are you kidding?
- Then come with me.
Knox, you are so infuriating!
Come on, Chris,
just give me one chance.
If you don't like me after tonight,
I'll stay away forever.
- Uh-huh.
- I promise. Dead Poets honour.
You come with me tonight,
and then if you don't want to see me
again, I swear I'll bow out.
- What would happen if Chet found out?
- He won't know anything.
We'll sit in the back
and sneak away as soon as it's over.
And I suppose you would promise
that this would be the end of it?
- Dead Poets honour.
- What is that?
- My word.
- Hmm.
You are so infuriating.
[Laughing]
[Whispering] Hey, there he is!
Hey, hey, hey, hey!
[Keating]
Shh, boys.
Either I mistake your shape
and making quite...
or else you are that shrewd and
knavish sprite called Robin Goodfellow!
Thou speak'st aright.
I am that merry wanderer
of the night.
I jest to Oberon
and make him smile...
when I a fat and bean-fed
horse beguile. [Snorts]
[Whinnies] Neighing in the likeness
of a filly foal.
Sometime lurk I
in a gossip's bowl...
in very likeness
of a roasted crab.
And when she drink,
against her lips I bob...
and on her withered dewlap
pour the ale.
- The wisest aunt
telling the saddest tale.
- He's good. He's really good.
Sometime for three-foot stool
mistaketh me.
Then slip I from her bum,
down topples she and "Tailor" cries...
and falls into a cough.
And then the whole quire
hold their hips and laugh...
and waxen in their mirth
nee-e-e-eze...
- [All Laughing]
- And swear.
A merrier hour
was never wasted there.
But, room, fairy.
- Here comes Oberon.
- And here, my mistress.
Would that he were gone.
[Lysander] Then by your side,
no bed-room me deny.
For lying so, Hermia,
I do not lie.
[Hermia] Lysander riddles very
prettily. Much beshrew my manners...
and my pride if Hermia
meant to say Lysander lied.
But, gentle friend,
for love and courtesy...
lie further off;
in human modesty,
such separation as may well be said
becomes a virtuous bachelor and maid.
Good night, sweet friend. Thy love
ne'er alter 'til thy sweet life end.
[Lysander] Amen.
Amen to that fair prayer, say I.
- And then end life when I end loyalty.
- [Girl] Neil. That's your cue, Neil.
Come on, Neil.
Here's your crown. Let's go.
If we shadows have offended...
think but this
and all is mended.
That you have but slumber'd here
while these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
no more yielding but a dream.
Gentles, do not reprehend.
If you pardon, we will mend.
And as I am an honest Puck,
if we have unearned luck,
now to 'scape
the serpent's tongue,
we will make amends ere long;
else the Puck a liar call.
So, good night
unto you all.
Give me your hands
if we be friends,
and Robin shall
restore amends.
- [Audience Applauding]
- [Chattering]
[Applause Continues]
[Audience Whistling, Cheering]
[Audience Continues Cheering]
[Audience Cheering,
Whistling, Louder]
[Welton Boys]
Yawp! Carpe diem!
[Sighs, Laughs]
[Yelling]
[Actors Chattering]
[Whooping]
- [Crowd Chattering]
- [Girl] That was great!
Excuse me. I'm Neil's father.
I'd like to see him, please.
[All Chattering]
- Neil, your father.
- [Chattering Continues]
- [Boy] What did you think?
- You were all just wonderful!
[Crowd Chattering, Laughing]
[Chattering, Laughing Continues]
- [Crowd Chattering]
- [Mr Perry] Excuse me, please.
- Excuse me. Excuse me.
- [Boys] Neil! Back here! Neil!
Neil, Neil, you were great!
Come back, Neil.
- I can't, guys.
- Neil.
[Mr Perry]
Excuse me.
Neil. Neil.
You have the gift.
What a performance.
You left even me speechless.
- You have to stay with...
- Get in the car.
Keating,
you stay away from my son.
Neil! Neil!
Mr Perry, come on!
[Keating] Don't make it
any worse than it is.
[Woman Chattering]
Do you want to take the other car?
[Chattering Continues]
[Car Departs]
[Chattering Continues]
Is it okay
if we walk back?
Captain?
- [Charlie] Knox?
- What?
We'll be home about 11:30.
[Door Opens, Closes]
[Clears Throat]
We're trying very hard...
to understand why it is
that you insist on defying us.
But whatever the reason,
we're not gonna let you ruin your life.
I'm withdrawing you from Welton and
enrolling you in Braden Military School.
You're going to Harvard,
and you're gonna be a doctor.
But that's ten more years.
- Father, that's a lifetime!
- Oh, stop it!
Don't be so dramatic.
You make it sound like a prison term.
You don't understand, Neil.
You have opportunities
that I never even dreamt of!
- I am not going to let you waste them!
- I've got to tell you what I feel.
- We've been so worried about...
- What? What? Tell me what you feel!
What is it?
Is it more of this-this
acting business?
Because you can forget that.
What?
Nothing.
[Sighs]
Nothing?
Well, then,
let's go to bed.
[Softly] I was good.
I was really good.
Go on, get some sleep.
- [Mrs Perry Sobbing]
- It's going to be all right.
[Gasping]
What was that?
[Mrs Perry]
What?
- That sound.
- What sound?
Tom?
What is it?
What's wrong?
Neil?
Tom, what is it?
What's wrong?
Neil?
- Neil?
- [Mrs Perry] I'll look outside.
Neil?
[Sniffs]
No!
- Oh, Neil! Oh, my God!
- Oh, my God. Oh, no, no.
- Oh, my son! My son! My poor son!
- He's all right.
- [Repeating, Hysterically]
He's all right!
- Stop it. Stop it. Stop it.
- Stop it! Stop it.
- [Sobbing]
Todd. Todd.
Oh, Charlie.
What is it?
[Softly]
Neil's dead.
It's so beautiful.
- [Todd Vomiting]
- Todd!
- It's okay, Todd.
- [Pitts] Calm down.
- It's all right, Todd.
- [Sobbing]
- Todd, it's okay.
- It's okay, Todd.
- [Continues Sobbing]
- It's all right. It's all right.
- [Crying] He wouldn't have done it.
- You can't explain it, Todd.
- [Todd] It was his father!
- No!
He wouldn't have left us.
It's because he...
He wouldn't have.
[Sobbing]
- His dad was...
- Todd.
His-His father did it.
His father killed him.
[Blubbering]
He made him do it.
- [Continues Sobbing]
- Todd!
Leave him be.
[Screams]
[Crying]
[Inhales, Sighs]
[Boys Singing]
[Nolan]
The death of Neil Perry is a tragedy.
He was a fine student,
one of Welton's best.
And he will be missed.
We've contacted each of your parents
to explain the situation.
Naturally, they're all
quite concerned.
At the request
of Neil's family,
I intend to conduct a thorough
inquiry into this matter.
Your complete cooperation
is expected.
[Opens, Flicks,
Closes Lighter]
- You told him about this meeting?
- Twice.
That's it, guys.
We're all fried.
- [Pitts] How do you mean?
- Cameron's a fink.
- He's in Nolan's office now, finking.
- About what?
The club, Pittsie.
Think about it.
The board of directors,
the trustees and Mr Nolan.
Do you think for one moment they're
gonna let this thing just blow over?
Schools go down because of things
like this. They need a scapegoat.
[Door Opening]
[Door Creaks Closed,
Footsteps Approaching]
[Footsteps Continue]
What's going on, guys?
You finked,
didn't you, Cameron?
"Finked"? I don't know
what the hell you're talking about.
You told Nolan everything about
the club is what I'm talking about.
Look, in case you hadn't heard,
Dalton, there's something...
called an honour code
at this school, all right?
If a teacher asks you a question,
you tell the truth or you're expelled.
- You...
- Charlie!
He's a rat! He's in it up to his eyes,
so he ratted to save himself!
- [Knox] Don't touch him, Charlie.
You do and you're out.
- I'm out anyway!
- You don't know that. Not yet!
- He's right there, Charlie.
And if you guys are smart, you will do
exactly what I did and cooperate.
They're not after us.
We're the victims.
Us and Neil.
What's that mean?
Who are they after?
Why, Mr Keating, of course.
The "Captain" himself!
You guys didn't really think he could
avoid responsibility, did you?
Mr Keating responsible for Neil?
Is that what they're saying?
Well, who else do you think, dumb ass?
The administration? Mr Perry?
Mr Keating put us up
to all this crap, didn't he?
If it wasn't for Mr Keating,
Neil would be...
cozied up in his room right now,
studying his chemistry...
- and dreaming of being called "Doctor"!
- That is not true, Cameron!
You know that!
He didn't put us up to anything.
- [Panting] Neil loved acting.
- Believe what you want,
but I say let Keating fry.
I mean,
why ruin our lives?
- [Cameron Grunts]
- [Knox Muttering]
[Panting]
You just signed
your expulsion papers, Nuwanda.
And if the rest of you are smart,
you'll do exactly what I did!
They know everything anyway.
[Panting]
You can't save Keating,
but you can save yourselves.
[Footsteps Departing]
[Door Opens, Closes]
[Hager]
Knox Overstreet.
- Meeks.
- Go away. I have to study.
What happened to Nuwanda?
Expelled.
What'd you tell 'em?
Nothing they didn't
already know.
[Hager]
Todd Anderson.
- Hello, son.
- Hello, darling.
[Softly]
Mom.
Have a seat, Mr Anderson.
Mr Anderson, I think we've pretty well
put together what's happened here.
You do admit to being a part
of this Dead Poets Society?
Answer him, Todd.
[Softly]
Yes, sir.
I have here
a detailed description...
of what occurred at your meetings.
It describes how your teacher,
Mr Keating,
encouraged you boys
to organize this club...
and to use it as a source
of inspiration...
for reckless
and self-indulgent behaviour.
It describes how Mr Keating,
both in and out of the classroom,
encouraged Neil Perry to follow
his obsession with acting...
when he knew all along it was
against the explicit orders...
of Neil's parents.
It was Mr Keating's blatant abuse
of his position as teacher...
that led directly
to Neil Perry's death.
Read that document carefully,
Todd.
Very carefully.
If you've nothing
to add or amend, sign it.
What's gonna happen
to Mr Keating?
[Mr Anderson Sighs]
I've had enough. Sign the paper, Todd!
[McAllister]
Grass is gramen or herba.
Lapis is stone.
The entire building
is aedificium.
[Chuckles Softly]
[Door Opens, Closes]
Sit.
I'll be teaching this
class through exams.
We'll find a permanent English teacher
during the break.
Who will tell me where you are
in the Pritchard textbook?
Mr Anderson?
- Uh, in the, in the Prit...
- I can't hear you, Mr Anderson.
[Stammering]
In the, in the, in the Pritchard...
Kindly inform me,
Mr Cameron.
We skipped around a lot, sir.
We covered the romantics and some of the
chapters on post-Civil War literature.
- What about the realists?
- We skipped most of that, sir.
All right, then,
we'll start over.
What is poetry?
- [Knocking]
- Come!
Excuse me.
[Closes Door]
I came for my personals.
Should I come back
after class?
Get them now,
Mr Keating.
Gentlemen, turn to page 21
of the introduction.
Mr Cameron,
read aloud the excellent essay
by Dr Pritchard...
on "Understanding Poetry."
That page has been
ripped out, sir.
Well, borrow
somebody else's book.
They're all ripped out, sir.
[Nolan Chuckling] What do you mean,
"They're all ripped out"?
- Sir, we... Ac...
- [Nolan] Never mind.
[Slaps Book]
Read.
[Cameron] "'Understanding Poetry'
by DrJ. Evans Pritchard, Ph.D.
"To fully understand poetry,
we must first be fluent...
"with its metre, rhyme
and figures of speech.
"Then ask two questions.
One:
"How artfully has the objective
of the poem been rendered?
"And, two:
"How important
is that objective?
"Question one
rates the poem's perfection.
"Question two rates its importance.
"And once these questions
have been answered,
"determining a poem's greatness
becomes a relatively simple matter.
If the poem's score for perfection is
plotted on the horizontal of a graph..."
- Mr Keating!
They made everybody sign it.
- Quiet, Mr Anderson!
- You've got to believe me. It's true.
- I do believe you, Todd.
- Leave, Mr Keating.
- But it wasn't his fault!
Sit down, Mr Anderson! One more
outburst from you or anyone else,
and you're out
of this school!
Leave, Mr Keating.
I said, "Leave, Mr Keating."
- O Captain, my Captain.
- [Nolan] Sit down, Mr Anderson.
Do you hear me?
Sit down!
Sit down!
This is your final warning,
Anderson.
How dare you.
Do you hear me?
O Captain, my Captain.
Mr Overstreet, I warn you!
Sit down!
Sit down!
Sit down! All of you!
I want you seated!
Sit down!
Leave, Mr Keating.
All of you, down!
I want you seated!
Do you hear me?
Sit down!
Thank you, boys.
Thank you.
[Bagpipes]
[Continues]